Mobile branches that guarantee banking services across almost 1,400 small villages

• CaixaBank, which increased this service by almost 77% over the course of one year, provides banking services via mobile branches in small towns across 17 provinces, servicing more than 640,000 people

When reaching Horcajada, the first customers to arrive are Isabel and Sagrario. They can be seen turning onto the main street. They are always together, despite their insistence that they never exchange a single word. But there they are, in the same corner of the square, inseparable. Sagrario was already a customer of our Mobile Branch when she lived in Hoyos del Espino. Both always on time for their appointment to withdraw cash and update their passbook. Other customers start arriving, they take the opportunity to chat about the town's news. A commotion can be heard outside, it's the meeting point for sharing stories, where Dani, the driver, enjoys getting them all excited and making them laugh.

In Colmenar del Arroyo, when we arrive with our bank on wheels, as they often refer to us, there are already some 15 people waiting. Pilar, Manuela, Paco, Teresa and María are deep in conversation in the Town Hall Square. They are all over 70 and each wait their turn. While Nacho, the driver, puts the steps in place, they inform me of what's going on in the town and what they each need, yet after so many years I could easily guess what transactions they will each be asking for and even how much money they gave their grandchildren on their last visit. In Santos de la Humosa, together with Manuela, Teresa or Paula, customers who are nearly 90, Vicente is always waiting for us, he is a young chap who is ill and appreciates us parking in front of his house twice a month, as it allows him to withdraw cash to pay for the everyday basics he buys in the town and to pay his bills without having to travel.

It's really nice to see them all waiting for us in their towns, their happy faces, especially our older customers and hearing them say how much they appreciate the service since, thanks to the blue mobile branches, they no longer have to ask their children to drive them to a nearby branch. Their last question is always the same: What days will you be here next month?

The story of Horcajada is written by Marcial Casillas, the manager of one of the mobile branches that serve the rural areas in the province of Ávila. The story of Colmenar del Arroyo and Santos de la Humosa is signed by Eva María Martín, who works out of one of the mobile branches operating in Madrid. Elisabet Martínez, for her part, talks about her first impressions and those of her customers, who she is getting to know, seeing as she manages one of the nine mobile branches that were put into operation in Catalonia over the past quarter.

Upon arriving at La Horcajada, the first to appear are Isabel and Sagrario. Punctual to each of their appointments to withdraw money and update their passbook.

Marcial Casillas - Mobile branch manager in Ávila

In Colmenar del Arroyo, when we arrive, there are already more than 15 people waiting. Years on, I could guess the operations each client will want to perform

Eva María Martín - Mobile branch manager in Madrid

It is very nice to see how they wait for us in the villages and tell us repeatedly that they are not asking their children anymore for favors to take them to the nearest towns with a physical branch.

Elisabet Martínez - Mobile branch manager in Tarragona

Marcial, Eva and Elisabet are three of the 29 managers who work out of the mobile branches with which CaixaBank ensures banking services are provided each month to nearly 1,400 small towns at risk of financial exclusion across 17 Spanish provinces. These towns encompass more than 640,000 people who, regardless of whether or not they are customers of the bank, can carry out most common banking operations, including cash withdrawals, depositing money and paying bills and taxes, doing so in towns that do not have a physical bank branch or those with restrictions that limit access to financial services. 70% of users are over the age of 65.

CaixaBank's commitment to financial inclusion has led the bank to increase the service by 77% in the past year. Right from the start of 2025, the mobile branches will be travelling more than 75,000 kilometres a month to reach a total of 1,387 towns at risk of financial exclusion, in comparison to the 783 towns that were serviced in early 2024.

In addition, CaixaBank now operates the only branch office service in 459 Spanish towns. With more than 4,000 offices in Spain, the bank maintains a presence in over 2,230 towns in all of the country's provinces.

 

A total of 34 mobile branches

CaixaBank has a total of 34 mobile branches, 29 of which provide service in 17 provinces across seven autonomous communities: Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia and Segovia in Castile-Leon; Ciudad Real, Guadalajara, and Toledo in Castile-La Mancha; Castellón and Valencia in the Valencian Community; Granada, in Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, La Rioja and Catalonia’s four provinces.

The bank also has another five mobile branches on standby for business, cultural and sporting events, as well as exceptional situations such as the DANA that devastated the Valencian Community, Castile-La Mancha and Andalusia last October. CaixaBank moved mobile branches to towns in the Valencian province, where the physical branches were closed.

 

Castile-Leon, with 11 mobile branches, is the autonomous community with most presence in all of Spain. There are nine mobile branches operating across Catalonia, two mobile branches travel the towns in La Rioja, the Valencian Community, the Community of Madrid and Castile-La Mancha, whereas the province of Granada is covered by one mobile branch.

Each of these mobile branches have different daily routes and visit the towns to which they provide service between one to four times a month, according to demand.

We aim to always be close to our customers, including in rural areas. We look after them... and many of them, also take care of us, says Eva with great pride. She smiles as she recalls the affection with which Antonia, who everyone refers to as Toñi, who runs the grocer's shop in Ribatejada (Madrid) handed her and Nacho ham bread rolls as soon as they arrived. There isn't a single place there to have a coffee, but the mobile branch visits regularly.